Abortions

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report the numbers of abortions carried out (a) on the National Health

Notifications of abortions carried out under the Abortion Act 1967 to resident and non-resident women—numbers: category of premises (residents only) and gestation in completed weeks. England and Wales 1976–1985
Gestation weeks	Total	Under 9	9–12	13–16	17–23	24 and over	Unknown
1976
Total	129,673	31,494	68,994	18,801	5,861	218	4,305
Residents:
(i) NHS	50,569	8,475	30,685	7,509	1,426	92	2,382
(ii) Non-NHS	51,343	16,761	26,184	5,542	1,606	72	1,178
Non-Residents	27,761	6,258	12,125	5,750	2,829	54	745
1977
Total	133,004	31,804	70,875	19,079	6,319	276	4,651
Residents:
(i) NHS	52,530	9,008	31,999	7,517	1,613	97	2,296
(ii) Non-NHS	50,147	16,219	25,505	5,398	1,583	86	1,356
Non-Residents	30,327	6,577	13,371	6,164	3,123	93	999
1978
Total	141,558	33,222	76,426	19,823	6,931	359	4,797
Residents:
(i) NHS	55,040	9,651	33,039	7,876	1,864	134	2,476
(ii) Non-NHS	56,811	16,988	30,034	6,219	2,017	127	1,426
Non-Residents	29,707	6,583	13,353	5,728	3,050	98	895
1979
Total	149,746	35,273	80,676	20,771	7,617	438	4,971
Residents:
(i) NHS	55,558	9,688	33,251	8,040	1,976	120	2,483
(ii) Non-NHS	65,053	19,194	33,883	7,251	2,841	161	1,723
Non-Residents	29,135	6,391	13,542	5,480	2,800	157	765
1980
Total	160,903	37,197	86,255	22,792	8,933	613	5,113
Residents:
(i) NHS	60,594	10,779	36,118	8,653	2,288	159	2,597
(ii) Non-NHS	68,333	20,072	35,398	7,663	3,355	222	1,623
Non-Residents	31,976	6,346	14,739	6,476	3,290	232	893
1981
Total	162,480	48,727	83,433	19,388	9,350	418	1,164
Residents:
(i) NHS	61,103	13,723	37,868	6,972	1,736	77	727
(ii) Non-NHS	67,478	26,096	30,785	6,652	3,499	158	288
Non-Residents	33,899	8,908	14,780	5,764	4,115	183	149
1982
Total	163,045	51,692	82,519	18,382	9,899	462	91
Residents:
(i) NHS	62,409	14,266	40,223	6,059	1,751	54	56
(ii) Non-NHS	66,144	27,462	28,197	6,651	3,667	144	23
Non-Residents	34,492	9,964	14,099	5,672	4,481	264	12
1983
Total	162,016	53,919	79,232	18,504	9,747	505	109
Residents:
(i) NHS	62,481	14,167	40,308	6,223	1,650	76	57
(ii) Non-NHS	64,753	29,693	24,572	6,627	3,662	162	37
Non-Residents	34,782	10,059	14,352	5,654	4,435	267	15
1984
Total	169,993	57,517	82,980	18,279	10,589	532	96
Residents:
(i) NHS	64,823	14,703	42,037	6,282	1,698	62	41
(ii) Non-NHS	71,565	33,162	27,512	6,483	4,177	198	33
Non-Residents	33,605	9,652	13,431	5,514	4,714	272	22

Service and (b) in the private sector; broken down by estimated time span since conception, for the 10 years up to the last year for which figures are available.

I regret that the exact information requested can be produced only at disproportionate cost. However the hon. Member may find the figures in the table useful.

Gestation weeks	Total	Under 9	9–12	13–16	17–23	24 and over	Unknown
1985
Total	171,873	56,392	86,438	17,686	10,835	494	28
Residents:
(i) NHS	65,176	13,975	43,327	6,201	1,606	53	14
(ii) Non-NHS	75,925	34,105	30,845	6,314	4,520	131	10
Non-Residents	30,772	8,312	12,266	5,171	4,709	310	4

From 1976 to 1980 gestation is calculated as the number of completed weeks between last menstrual period and date of operation. In March 1981 a new notification form was introduced which seeks a direct statement of gestation and the basis on which it is derived.

Not stated and unknown gestation is included in Total.

Volume 110: debated on Monday 16 February 1987